Tool press and operating means therefor



July 8, 1952 J, Wl ADAMS 2,602,507

TOOL PRESS AND OPERATING MEANS THEREFOR Filed March l, 1946 o 36 figg?- iz 1 1 4', ATTORNEYS Patented July 8, 1952 rTocarrrr:ss

. ...lohn VW. Adamsyde AND OPERATING MEANS, THEREFQB ceased, late of Bridgeport,

. .Gonna by'lda. Nichols Adams, admni'stratrix,

Bridgeport, Conn-' Apparati@ *Maren 11, 194e,- serial Nc'. 61515203 1 y A y This invention relates-to an'air pressrparticularlyto a press totak'ethe4 placezof affootpress to perform operationsusuallyp'erformedbysuch or a similar type press, and has foranobject .to provide a press` of this typelwhiehwill perform the operations of this and similar-l typepresses with alminimumfof effort on :the part of theoperato l Y Another object ist@ provide apressof this type in which, for any given settingiofl the press,- the force applied` tooperateathetool is uniform regardless'. of the: pressure applied to thei controlling foottreadie. 'f fr H i Anotherlo'bject isiv tok provideuanv' air .press of this type inf which the forceoi the. fluidoperated piston is rststored in a relativelyheavy spring while thetool. operating plungeriis held. stationary 'and then it is released to permit the energy. stored .in the spring to operatelthe' plunger -with afham.-

mer bloweffect.

With the foregoingandzother objects in view,

the. construction. illustrated inthe accompanycollar.A

This inventionrelates' toaa press ydesignedzpri.- marily for. relatively` light. work; such-asthatV per- Vformed bythe' well-known .foot press, although it .isnotllimited to 'thisbutfc'an beinade in Various sizesA and for heavier "work: if. desired. i .Therop-ferations. are'. suchas operating ra4 punch, i die or other: tool, andi'in- .the usual formoff'oot press the tool is operated.. by pressure-off the'v foiot oni a .relatively long depending lever; It willzbetgevie dent'thatv after: operation of such a :device for some time' the operator" becomes fatigued-iand slows down in' his. w.ork,.and1 also asiat consequence thererm'ay be considerable? variation in: theoperatingpressure applied tof the tool. 'Ihesezobi jectionsare obviated intheipres'ent device;v Y The structure shown "comprises: a'- framef includingxan `upright member; 5 secured to a bed or base 5 mounted on any suitable support suchas a bench` (notfshown). The'vbedf 6 may be-ofany length. andi-width toy provide the desired: support justed position by. |75 is provided tomaia (cl. 164-86) and also to provide a support for the work being operatedupon. It may be a relatively heavy block or pla-te, and the-upright member 5may be a rectangular bar,- as shown, of suitable `size weldedVVV to the base. -Secured to the front of the upright bar 5 by A'any suitable .means such as welding area -pair of vertically spaced crossed blocks l, and welded to the front of these blocks isv an' upright supporting striporbar V8 provided with av verticalslot '9.Y -Mounted on the ,front oifthis barili? isa bracket I0 includingy anupr right bodly portion Il and a'horizontalsupporte ing-arm'-v LZI at `its upper Y end'. The' .upright portionflil seatsagainst the face of the' .bar 8' and lhas a vertical rib t3 guided in the groove 9 Iper.-

I'nitting vertical adjustment of lthe bracket "Hl, 'andi-t-niay be clamped. in'any adjusted position by' anyY suitable' means', such as the' clamping screwsV lili.

Guided for vertical `reciprocating movements in the bracket ID is a plunger 11.5', this plunger preferably beingprovidedzwith a tapered or dovet'ailed rib IEi' on' tsrear wall, guidedV in a similarly shaped guidegroove in the .bracket t0'. There may be' an adjustablefshim or' bearing strip I-'lv on one side to take up wear and provide for proper nt of.' the rib' in the guidewa'y, the shim Abeing adjustable by adjusting' screws i8 secured; in-:ad-

lock nuts I9. .The plunger with ka` longitudinal passage 2:0 in the lower end? vof. which vmay 'be :mounted `the shanlcl'l= of any suitable tool to beoperatedfsuch, for example: as apunch, and-itmay Ybe. secured by anyV Suitablemeans, such as a set screw 22. Inthey upper part of passage 20 .is the lower end portionof a piston' rod 2iV and slidable onfthis rod is a. compressing; collar ori block 2li. Embracing `the rod 23' isa relatively heavy. coil spring 25 be;

tween the collar or block ZALand'ithe'plunger l5',

andthe collar 24 .may bev provided with-a' depending skirt' 25' forming: a" :guide ior Athe spring. Mounted? onthef arm.. l 2 islan'operating piston 32.7'. in a cylinder 28 operatedb'y suitablezfluid pressure, suchas compressedair. Thegpistprlis a double'fa'c'ting piston and'- is koperated-,by air from any suitable source through' the-supply pipe l2.9', and is controlled byffany suitablewvalve 36 ,operated-by asuitable control lever 3'I by,` means 0f'- a-zdepending chain4 or wire 32 toh any suitable -foot pedalorghandf lever (notshown) The lever .is pivoted-atl33 toja supporting bracket-@which may Y.bera split bracketclarnped toan extension 35 on the cylinder headfby any-suitable' means, such asthe-bolts'l. The Valve 3 0lis ofistand d .construction andQismouni-,edirr uielcyunderz head and" has an extending. p'irA 38! engaged andi operated by a depending lug 39 on the lever 3 I. The valve is normally held in the inactive position shown by a suitable spring 40. When in the position shown, air pressure passes through the pipe 4I to the under side of the piston 21 and holds it in its upper position. When the lever 3| is depressed the valve is shifted to the left, permitting air to iow through the duct 42 to the upper side of the piston to thus force it downf wardly. This movement cuts off communication of the air supply to the pipe 4| and connects it to an air outlet 43 to permit the air under the piston to escape. 3| is released the valve is returned by the spring 40 to the position shown, supplying air pressure to the under side of the piston to force it upwardly and connecting the space above the piston to the outlet 44 to let this air escape.

The piston 21 is mounted on the piston rod 23 on which the compressing collar or block 24 slides. This is preferably a lost motion connection so that the piston is permitted some movement before operating the compressing collar and thus the initial action of the piston on the collar is a hammer-like blow. This not only permits a quicker start to the piston and operating rod 23 as they start when not under load, but Vthe hammer-like blow together with the momentum of the piston and rod due to their speed or movement built up when not under load produces greater force vfor `compression of the spring and therefore permits the use of a smaller power device. kIn the present construction the collar 24 is provided with a recess 46 leading from its upper side in which is a ring or flange 41l which is of less height than the length of the recess 46 so that it has limited movement therein. This ring is slidable on a reduced portion 45 of the piston rod, so that it is between two spaced shoulders 49 and 49a on the rod. It engages a shoulder 48 at the bottom of the recess 46 to force the collar 24 downwardly on downward movement of the piston, which presses shoulder 49 against the ring 41. The rod 23 on which the collar 24 is mounted has lost motion connection withthe plunger I so that the rod 23 may. move downwardly a determined amount independently of the plunger. In the present construction one side of the vrod 23 is flattened, as indicated at 50, this flat terminating a short distance above the lower end of the rod 23 to form a lug or shoulder 5I andabove this lug or shoulder is a lifting screw'52which will limit upward movement of the rod 23 with respect to the plunger, and continued upwardA movement of fthe rod will then lift the plunger. There is preferably a vent opening 2Ilafrom the passage below the rod 23.

Mounted onthe arm I2 is a trip means for controlling the operation of the plunger I5. This comprises a depending support 53 in which is pivotally mounted a threaded screw 54, it being pivoted to the support 53 at 54a. Mounted at When pressure on the lever "In normal position preparatory for the operation of the tool, the parts are shown in the position of Figs. 1 and 2, with the piston 21 held in its upper position by the air pressure, and the the lower end portion of this screw is a tripping dog 55 normally seating in a recess 56 in the upper portion of the plunger I5, and the dog has a tapered lower cam surface 51 so that as the plunger moves upwardly it may shift this dog outwardly so that the dog will not interfere with thev upward movement of the plunger. Adjustably mounted on the screw 54 is a dog adjusting nut 58 which may be adjusted longitudinally on the screw and secured in any position by any suitable means, such as a set screw 59. This nut has inclined cam surfaces 60 and plunger I5 held in its upper position by the tripping dog 55 seating in the recess 56. In this position the compressing collar 24 is also in its upper position, the arm I2 acting as a stop to limit its upward movement. Depression of the lever 3| by the foot treadle will shift the air valve 30, supplying air to the upper side of the piston 21, which will forcethe piston downwardly, together with the piston rod 23. When the piston 21y is in this upper position the shoulder l49 on the piston rod 23 is spaced above the ring or flange 41, and therefore the piston 21 will have a certain amount of movementbefore it will have any effect on the collar 24, and it will therefore develop a, sort of hammer blow against this col-V lar. As stated above, this 'not only permits a quickerv start to the piston and operating rod 23 as they start when not under load, but the hammer-like blow together with the momentum of the piston and rod due to their speed or movement built up when not under load produces greater force for compression of the spring andv therefore permits .the use of a smaller power device.V When shoulder 49 hits the ring 41 in thek recess 46 in this collar it will force the collar downwardly, loading the spring 25 by compressing it, and after it has moved enough Ato compress and load the spring the inclined surface 63 on the collar 24 vengaging the inclinedsurface 60 on the nut '58 will force the tripping dog 55 outwardly. or to the left as viewed in Fig. 2, but removing this tripping dog from the notch 56 and releasing the plunger I5, which will then be forced downwardly with a hammer blow under action of the loaded` or compressed spring 25 for the working operation of the vtool carried by the plunger. Downward.- movement of the plunger may be limited by 'a stop I5a engaging the top wall.' IIa of bracket II. so that should the plunger be operated with no ltool in it, the force will not be on lug 5I and screw 52 to shear them off. As the pressure is released from the foot treadle, the air valve 30 is returned to its normal position, releasing the air pressure above the piston 21 and supplying air to the cylinder below this piston. The piston is then shifted upwardly', carrying .with it'fthe piston rod 23 and through theactionof the llug 5I on the screw 52 will lift the plunger.- I5, spring 25 and collar 24. to the upperor original position preparatory to the next operation, at which time the dog 55 is seated in the notch 56 by action of the spring 64. As the collar 24 moves upwardly itsupper inclined surface 62, byv camming action Ion the surface 6I of the adjustinginut, will force it outwardly and permit'the collar 24 Lto move up'- wardly past this nut. '.Similarly, the upper end of the plunger I5 will engage the inclined surface 51 on the dog 55 to force it outwardly to permit the upper end of thev plunger to move past this dog. The amount of-corn.pre`ssion` of the operating spring 25 and therefore'the load placed on this and adjustedby adj ustmen-tfofr the nutBB, andV it `will .be seen that for anycgiven-` A adjustment 'of '.this nut-the same force is always applied'to'-the .punch :applied be .no variation in the tool by variationv of foot pressure applied. to the lor-.other tool regardless `of thepressure to the foot treadle. Therefore there will pressure appliedl Kto i' the foot treadle due to fatigue of the operator. Also, the pressure for any given tool may be readily and easily adjusted for best operation of that particular tool.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A tool operating press of the character described comprising a stationary frame, a guide means carried by the frame, a reciprocable plunger mounted in said guide means adapted to operate a tool to press it against Work to be operated upon, an operating means mounted on the frame, a compressing member connected with the plunger by means permitting limited relative movement between them, a connection from the operating means to the compressing member, a spring between said member and the vplunger adapted after loading to operate the plunger to operate the tool to press it against the work, a trip means mounted on the frame and engaging the plunger to normally hold the plunger in retracted position, and means operated by the operating means for releasing the tripV means after operation of the compressing member' to load the spring.

2. A tool operating press of the character described comprising a stationary frame, a guide means carried by the frame, a reciprocable plunger mounted in said guide means adapted to operate a tool to press it against a work piece, an operating means mounted on the frame, a compressing member connected with the plunger by means permitting limited relative movement between them, a connection from the operating means to the compressing member, a coil spring between said member and the plunger adapted after compression to operate the plunger to operate the tool to press it against the Work, a strip means mounted on the frame and engaging the plunger to normally hold the plunger in retracted position including an adjustable member in the path of movement of the compressing member and shiftable. by movement of the compressing member to release the trip means after operation of this member to compress the spring.

3. A tool operating press of the character described comprising a stationary frame, an upright guide carried by said frame, a reciprocable plunger mounted in said guide adapted to operate a tool to press it against a work piece, a rod having lost motion connection with the plunger, a compression collar on said rod, a coil spring embracing the rod between the collar and the plunger, an operating means connected with said rod and adapted to operate the collar to compress the spring, a trip means normally holding the plunger in elevated position, and cooperating means on the trip means and the collar to release the trip means by movement of the collar after compression of the spring.

4. A tool operating press of the character described comprising a frame, an upright reciprocable plunger mounted in said frame adapted to carry a tool to press it against a Work piece, a compressing collar mounted above the plunger and connected therewith by a lost motion connection, a coil spring between the collar and the plunger adapted to operate the plunger after compression by said collar to'V press the tool against thework,l an operating means mounted above the collar and connected therewithby said lost motion connection including`r an abutment on the collar and an vabutment operated' by the operating meansnormally spaced above the first abutment yto :engagel'it on operation of said means, a -trip holding-the plunger normally in raisedposition,

nd means operated ley-movement of saideollar after compressing the spring to release said trip.

5. A tool operating press of the character described comprising a reciprocable plunger adapted to operate a tool to press it against a Work piece, a compressing member having lost motion connection with the plunger, a coil spring between said member and the plunger and adapted to operate the plunger to press the tool against the work, an operating means, an operating rod connected to said means having lost motion connection with said compressing member to operate it to compress the spring including a shoulder on the rod normally spaced above an aligned shoulder on said member, a trip normally holding the plunger in retracted position, and means operated by movement of said member to release the trip after a given movement of this member to compress the spring.

6. A'tool operating press of the character describedV comprising a frame, a plungerY guided for vertical movement adapted to carry a tool to press it against a work piece, a compressing collar above the plunger connected therewith by a lost motion connection, a coil spring between theV collar and the plunger adapted to operate the plunger after compression by the collar to press the tool against the work, an operating means above the collar, an operating rod connected with said means connected to the collar by a lost motion connection including normally spaced aligned abutments on the rod and collar, atrip normally holding the plunger in elevated position and including a threaded member, an adjustable nut on said threaded member normally spaced from the collar, and cooperating camming surfaces on said nut and the collar adapted to release the trip after a given movement of the collar to compress the spring.

'7. A tool operating press of the character described comprising a frame, a bracket mounted for vertical adjustment in said frame and provided with an upright guide, a plunger mounted for vertical reciprocating movement in said guide, means for mounting a tool on said plunger to press it against a work piece, a compressing collar above the plunger mounted on a rod having lost motion connection with the plunger, a coil spring embracing said rod between the collar and the plunger and adapted to operate the plunger after compression by said collar to press the tool against the work, said bracket including a supporting arm above the collar, an operating means mounted on said arm and connected with the collar, a de# pending trip member mounted on said arm norr mally holding the plunger in elevated position,

and an adjustable nut mounted on said trip member adapted to cooperate With'said collar to release the trip by movement of the collar after it has' had a given movement to compress the spring.

IDA NICHOLS ADAMS, Administratri of the Estate of John W. Adams,

Deceased.

(References on following page) v Number REFERENCES CITED 1,506,929 The following references are of record in the 117403318 111e of this patent: v .5 l l l UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,401,800 Number Name Date 2,427,358 863,909 Evans Aug. 20, 1907 2,455,270 '889,409 Spalding June 2, 1908 920,491 Perry May 4, 1909 10 Name Date Harrison Sept. 2, 1924 Killingswor-th Dec. 24, 1929 Palm Feb. 16, 1932 Tillyer Mar. 27, 1934 Ryan Jan. 11,V 1946 Kovach4 Sept. 16, 1947 Ravella Nov. 30, 1948 

